I’ve noticed I’m using the balance a lot more with my 252. I’m thinking maybe the accuracy (for want of a better word) of the presentation necessitates it? I find it’s very obvious when it’s off-centre but a quick tweak puts it dead right… until the next album! That said the sound is streets ahead of anything I’ve heard before.
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I’m wondering if the balance thing is down to speaker/room and/or listening position?
I’ve certainly found slightly shifting my listening position helps centralise ‘imaging’ on some albums. Never really thought of it as a 252 effect.
Seconded the sound quality!
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I fundamentally disagree. I think that it just what the SC does, opens up the middles, better definition in the bass, and smoother treble. Just how close to a 252 is a matter of subjective judgement.
Regards,
Lindsay
I never have to use the balance (and do not have to as it is never off) except to adjust for the common unbalance at low volume
Ahhh…
I listen a lot at low volume. That could explain it. Now you mention it I haven’t noticed it at higher vols (8 o’clock plus). Is this fairly common then?
Indeed it is something that the chosen Alps pot tends to do, though not all are the same. I had to send my new one back for fixing. My dealer’s demo does not exhibit this at all and is dead center down to essentially zero volume. See here:
In my case, the unbalance up to 8 was not bearable as this is normal background listening volume for me.
Seems my 252 (2021 model) has the exact same issue. I’ve been going mad thinking it’s interconnects, speakers, even my Supercap 
How did you get it fixed? Did it go back to Naim or was it a dealer fix?
I talked to my dealer, who talked to the distributor in Germany. Sent it to them and they put in a hand-selected pot, they said the best from the ones they had available. They were very helpful and it was back within a week.
Now it is balanced starting at 7:30 (my speakers have 89 dB sensitivity and the room is 50 qm but I sit rather close, 2.6 m to each speaker). 7:30 is ok for me and I rarely go lower, just occasionally late nights.
I didn’t intend to make a big issue out of it, but when new it was unbalanced to 8 or slightly above, so I had to adjust it all the time at background volume (and adjusting balance changes the volume, which changes the balance again - quite some hassle).
In the linked thread, someone was offered a -6 dB attenuation by Naim for the SN3 as well. I wasn’t, but maybe not an option on the 252.
As mentioned, I could not even have known about the behavior based on my dealer’s demo because it does not do it. If it bothers you in everyday listening, I suggest you inquire with dealer/Naim. I appreciate Naim choosing the pot based on sound, but on a > 10,000 euro pre (incl. the SC), I believe it is OK not wanting this issue 
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Really appreciate that info it’s been driving me nuts. Still not 100% sure it’s the pot (or just it) but it certainly could be. I can probably live with it now I know what it is.
Did you find the imbalance was always the same or could change for the same listening level at different times and with different tracks?
I never had inconsistent changes at the same listening level, it was always the same: below 8:00, the right channel started to disappear, the more the lower the volume went, but always in the same way. Though the loudness of the recording probably has an influence, as a louder recording may make you turn down the pot more than a less loud recording would, so you’d be deeper into the problematic pot range.
I should add that the mentioned volume levels are with the NDX2 as source. It was quite similar with the Rega Aria, apparently it has quite high output for a phono stage. With the Superline, the output is lower and it would never have been an issue even with the original pot, as I add approx :30-45 on the volume dial compared to NDX2.
It sounds very familiar, my right channel is the one that goes quiet too. This could explain why I’ve noticed it coming and going cos my listening level changes a lot depending on my mood and time of day or night. I’ll do some testing to verify or otherwise.
Sounds like same issue to me. Thinking about it, it probably depended on the music after all because of the pot position. E.g., listening to a guitar and voice, without bass, I am more comfortable with higher volume even at night, but if there is bass I certainly turn it down more. This certainly has an effect as the issue is not caused by the actual audible volume, but by the pot moving into the low end of its range.
Yep just down a few tests. definite bias to left speaker at lowest level. dialling up the volume one press at a time on the remote and it gradually improves until it’s dead centre. And when I check the pot it’s 8 o’clock.
Same thing definitely. It would be nice if dealers and/or manual mentioned this, as it is indeed confusing (in particular if it did not happen at all with the demo unit, like it was in my case) and comes up on the forum pretty regularly. For customers who listen a lot on lower volumes and/or with more sensitive speakers, it would be nice if they were informed that it can happen with individual units and a remedy is possible. (Or if Naim found it in testing before ok’ing a pot or a finished unit for delivery to customer. 8 is not that low)
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My dealer tells me that naim grade all these alps pots at goods in. Essentially putting the best into the 552, then 252, 282 and so on. So, I’m a bit surprised that a 252 pot is showing these issues.
So was I Maybe another victim of the pandemic, as Stu’s is from 2021 and mine from later 2020. Anyways, I am thankful to MusicLine for fixing it and turning it around as quickly as they did. It would not be a big thing if the customer was aware and not had to stumble in the dark as Stu had to. I’m glad I immediately asked the dealer what’s up! (Though maybe dealers should give it a quick check before handing to customer, too. I could have done without having to repackage it, drive it back to dealer, pick it up again a few days later, and so on. Luckily it was at the top of the rack To my dealer’s credit, they gave me their demo in the meantime and offered that I could keep it; I nearly did as it was quite new and sounded so great, being burned in)
Maybe my new 282 ended up with a 552 alps pot as its spot on.
Just goes to show the so called hand picking of components Naim strive to do…
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It seems to be pot luck to a degree. As mentioned, the demo unit did not do it, either
Been listening happily all night, just turned down as it’s getting late and the sound has switched left. Very noticeable now I know what the problem is. Looks like this unit will be going back. Annoying but it’s going to bug the hell out of me.
Annoying but I am sure they’ll make you happy. And having had a smile on my face every time I put on some music for 6 months straight made it worth it!
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